I have a confession: the first time I made these, it was purely out of pantry desperation. A lonely sleeve of Ritz, a bag of caramel bits from a past baking project, and some peanuts were all staring at me. What happened in the next fifteen minutes felt like alchemy. The smell of toasty crackers and melting, sugary caramel filled my kitchen with the coziest, most buttery aroma imaginable. When I took that first bite—the shattering, salty crunch giving way to sticky-sweet cream and a final nutty roast—I actually laughed out loud at how something so simple could be so perfect. This is the treat that proves magic doesn’t need to be complicated.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You will love this recipe because it hands you the triumph of a gourmet-tasting candy with the effort level of making toast. There’s no baking, no fancy equipment, and it taps directly into that primal love for the salty-sweet combo. In under 30 minutes, you go from basic pantry items to a platter of bites that look and taste like you fussed for hours. It’s the ultimate “I’m a genius” kitchen hack that you’ll want to make for every potluck, movie night, and last-minute “I need something sweet” emergency.
Ingredients
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers (about 35-40 crackers)
- 1 cup caramel bits or soft caramels, unwrapped
- 2 tbsp heavy cream (if melting caramels)
- 1 cup dry roasted, salted peanuts
Let’s talk ingredients, because your choices here define the experience. First, the Ritz crackers are non-negotiable. Their buttery, flaky saltiness is the foundational flavor. Don’t substitute a plain cracker; the salt is crucial. For the caramel, I vastly prefer the “caramel bits” you find near the chocolate chips. They melt smoothly without the fuss of unwrapping dozens of squares. If you must use soft caramels, the heavy cream is essential to get a dippable consistency. Finally, for the peanuts, I’ve tried this with unsalted and the bites were overwhelmingly sweet. You need the dry roasted, salted variety. That extra hit of salt and roast is what balances the entire bite. Don’t skip it; it makes a monumental difference.(See the next page below to continue…)